Looking to upgrade in right field, the Pirates are studying deals for Nate Schierholtz and Alex Rios. It is possible that they’ll make a move sooner rather than later, as they are tied for the NL Central lead while last in OPS at the position (slash line of .239/.302/.377 from seven right fielders, with Travis Snider getting the most playing time).

Rogers calls a Rios trade “a reach” because the 32-year-old outfielder is still owed $13.5 million after this season. Schierholtz, 29, signed a one-year, $2.25 million free agent contract with the Cubs this winter.

Rogers suggests that the Bucs could platoon the left-handed-hitting Schierholtz with right-handed-hitting outfielder Jose Tabata. Schierholtz has a superb .862 OPS against right-handed pitchers this season.

If I am not mistaken the Buccos extended Tabata in the off-season to a multiple year deal. Maybe they weren’t expecting Marte to blossom so quickly, but gotta wonder about their change of heart on Tabata.

Tabata got his deal a couple of years ago, then tanked. He’s much better this year, but I think they’re still looking for more power from that corner spot than he’s likely to deliver. He’s the kind of player who could be a stud fourth outfielder on a good team.

The idea at the time of the extension was that Tabata showed significant potential, so the Pirates took the risk of buying out his ARB years with the upside of getting a very solid, multi-WAR/year player at a bargain rate per potential WAR with the risk that Tabata either gets hurt, does not develop, or goes in the tank. Neither extreme outcome looks likely right now, so the Pirates slightly overpay for a MLB competent player.

romandenari - Jul 15, 2013 at 2:37 PM

Tabata sucks. The idea that he would platoon is ridiculous…singles hitter with no common sense fielding. What needs to be done is put the new right fielder in full time and STOP PLATOONING GARRET JONES. He should be the full time every game first baseman…cause Gabby Sanchez sucks even more than Tabata does. They keep saying that Jones is disappointing this year…so would anybody be if they were on the bench half the time. If anybody except Hurle were manager of this team, they’d be 30 games over .500 now; but no, the bubble-gum freak gets all the credit for the wins. He plays McHenry, another Hurdle pet, every Sunday, while the best catcher in baseball, Russel Martin, misses every sixth game to “rest”…what a bunch of b.s. If there is any team out there who would take Sanchez, Tabata, McHenry, and Snider, GIVE THEM AWAY, cause you’ll sure never get anything for any of them…and BRING UP TONY SANCHEZ. He threw out 17 base-stealers last I checked (McHenry’s thrown out 1, maybe 2). Now they say T.Sancez can’t throw back to the pitcher’s mound…more b.s. cause it would dislodge a Hurdle pet.

Tabata is our best option at right field right now. No he isn’t a power guy but he has hit the ball very well since coming off the DL. Yes our bench is lousy however a Jones’s batting average isn’t much better then Gaby’s plus Gaby is a much better fielder. Jones is a liability in the field. At the end of the day pirates need a right fielder and first baseman. I wouldn’t be opposed to trading Jones to make it happen. Plus pirates have call up options in the minors. Yes the fort needs to go and Sanchez needs to be given a chance. Upper management makes those calls. And the fort plays just to give martin a break.

Tabata is our best option at right field right now. No he isn’t a power guy but he has hit the ball very well since coming off the DL. Yes our bench is lousy however a Jones’s batting average isn’t much better then Gaby’s plus Gaby is a much better fielder. Jones is a liability in the field. At the end of the day pirates need a right fielder and first baseman. I wouldn’t be opposed to trading Jones to make it happen. Plus pirates have call up options in the minors. Yes the fort needs to go and Sanchez needs to be given a chance. Upper management makes those calls. And the fort plays just to give martin a break.